OF THE YEAR
TOWN Sponsored by
Winner: Southampton
The next awards was rather different. It wasn’t being awarded to a person or a company, but to a town that had implemented a successful town-centre strategy, enhanced its brand, and encouraged inward investment and growth.
The three strong candidates for this award were:
• Bournemouth • Portsmouth • Southampton
From seaside resort to southern tech hub, Bournemouth has transformed in recent years with its growing digital economy outstripping even London, Manchester and Liverpool. A Tech Nation report puts Bournemouth top with 212 new digital companies incorporated in 2010-2013. Inner London had just 92. Tech companies formed in the past two years, as a percentage of total companies, is nearly 25% – way above other cities and towns. Connectivity and vibrant entrepreneurial tech businesses have helped Bournemouth become Britain’s 100Mb/sec broadband capital.
The city council’s vision for Portsmouth is to become synonymous with ‘the Great
Waterfront City’. Surrounded by the sea, which has shaped its centuries-old history and culture, it is also a modern city with a distinctive fresh and exciting attitude, pride and passion. From its iconic Historic Dockyard to its contemporary landmark Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth is adopting a culture-led regeneration approach, revitalising insights into its past, but also unfolding the emerging story of Portsmouth’s future as a vibrant waterfront economy.
Southampton as a 240,000-population city, is breaking free from a past shackled by manufacturing decline and its traditional docks. It is now the cruise-ship capital of northern Europe and the UK’s leading port for the automotive trade.
New developments include a Southampton Science Park wireless and digital hub, a University of Southampton campus purpose-built facility for Lloyd’s Register, marine sector opportunities at Woolston’s Centenary Quay, fresh dining and leisure facilities at Westquay Watermark, and plans for a ‘world-class’ Royal Pier waterfront.
The category – Town of the Year – was sponsored by Barton Willmore, itself an expert in town planning, and in fact the largest such consultancy in the UK.
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH COAST – SEPTEMBER 2016
Tiff Needell invited Robin Shepherd, planning partner at sponsors Barton Willmore, to come to the stage to reveal the winner, “a city which has a new vibrancy and energy, signalling some strong years ahead ” – Southampton
Having received the award, delighted Southampton City Council chief executive Dawn Baxendale commented: “I think what helped us win the award is that we haven’t just been talking about doing things in Southampton, we have been delivering them. In particular, the impact that has on our reputation with our business leaders and business community has been very positive. We are now seen as a credible partner in the growth of the city and an important partner that actually gets things done.
“The turnaround really came between 2010-2012 following the work in launching our masterplan and vision for the city. That gave clarity about what we expected to see and within what timelines. It was a very ambitious programme covering 25 years and £3 billion investment, and today, in real delivery terms, we are already looking at £1.6b either built or with cranes in the sky or through planning, and that has really enhanced our reputation about saying and doing things.”
businessmag.co.uk 39
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